Odor Management

SD1 is committed to protecting public health, property and the environment while supporting the economic vitality of our community. This includes taking all reasonable steps to limit and mitigate odor disruptions across our community. 

But sometimes odors still occur. If you suspect an odor is related to SD1 facilities or sewer construction, please call 859-578-7450, option 1 to report the odor.

Odors Inside Your Home

  • The most common cause of sewer odors in the home is a dry drain trap. When working properly, indoor drain traps hold a small amount of water, preventing sewer gases from entering your home. Try pouring a few gallons of freshwater down drains to fix the issue. If unpleasant odors persist, there may be damage to your private plumbing. Call SD1 or a licensed plumber to help you diagnose the problem.
  • Landscaping materials, especially mulch, can give off an odor that’s often confused with sewage. If the odor is due to recently laid mulch, the odor should go away within a few days.

Odors Outside Your Home

  • Sewer odors may occur near SD1’s treatment plants and pump stations or at sewer manholes and catch basins. Stagnant water; hot or dry weather; or a lack of oxygen in the sewer system can increase odors. 
  • Rotting odors may occur near stagnant water in detention basins or other stormwater control features if debris has clogged the drains.
  • Resin odors may occur near construction projects where SD1 is fixing deteriorating sewer pipes. Typically, these odors dissipate within a few hours when exposed to fresh air.

SD1 Odor Management Efforts

  • Odor management is a vital part of our customer service. 
  • Other sanitation districts and municipalities are also experiencing record numbers of odor complaints, mainly attributed to dry weather. Consistent dry weather can lead to odors from the collection systems and treatment plants. 
  • Without sufficient water flow in the pipes, septic sludge slowly makes its way to the plants, which can present odor challenges that are difficult to control.

Odors that occur near a wastewater treatment plant generally come from three areas:

  • Headworks - This is where SD1 removes garbage and grit to help protect downstream equipment and processes. This is also where flow transitions from closed pipe to open area. Odor near the headworks can be overwhelming and unsafe for staff, so we control odors and corrosion by exhausting foul air to protect staff and equipment.
  • Biosolids - Dewatered/dried sludge is removed from the processes. Biosolids are treated using 50% hydrogen peroxide, and while this is effective, the chemical only lasts about 20 minutes. We do our best to haul away sludge as quickly as possible and haul it using an alternative route to avoid driving through congested residential areas.
  • Tank Maintenance - We service our tanks during warmer months to facilitate quicker turnaround times. When drained, odors around the tanks are noticeable. We continuously hose the tanks during draining to help control the travel of these odors, but as sludge collects on tank sidewalls, wind can carry the odors into the surrounding area at times.

Atmospheric Factors

Many atmospheric factors can affect odors and their ability to travel. 

  • Wind direction and speed, temperature and humidity all can elevate the detection of odors.

Weekly Odor Surveys 

Because there isn't a lot SD1 can do to counter atmospheric conditions, we conduct odor surveys weekly in areas that are frequently affected as a way of proactively preventing odors before customers notice them. 

  • If an odor is detected, we pinpoint the plant source and make process adjustments accordingly. 
  • Many times, odors come and go so quickly that it can be difficult to observe them during these surveys.

For this reason, we ask customers to call 859-578-7450 (Option 1) right away when an odor is detected, so that we can attempt to pinpoint the source.